Fire extinguisher and container for fire-extinguishing liquids and other fluids



March 27, 1928. I V 1,663,677

R. WJBYERLY FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND CONTAINER FOR FIRE I EXTINGUISHING LIQUIDS AND OTHER FLUIDS Filed Dec-. 1. 1921- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' INYENTQR I 2 h e e h s 5 t avv s m S m w mF Rm mm Yu m LT D N N E Y .B

' March 27, 1928.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND CO EXTINGUISHING LIQUIDS A Filed Dec. 1.

INVENTOR Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,663,671 PATIENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. BYERLY, OF YORK, N. Y.

FIRE nx'rmeursnnn AND con'r'amnn son FIRE-EXTINGUISHING mourns m e-'rnnn rmmas. a

Application filed December 1, 1921. Serial no. 519,172.

r This invention relates to fire extinguishers and containers for fire extinguishing liquids and other fluids and has for an object to provide a: simple reliable fire extinguisher 5, containing a fire extinguishing liquid which is maintained always under pressure, so that it may be projected upon a fire by the mere opening of a valve.

In accordance with theinvention, a body of fire extinguishing liquid, which is preferably carbon tetra-chloride, or a liquid containing carbon tetrachloride, is enclosed in a closed receptacle having resilient walls which by their inherent resiliency retain the liquid constantly under pressure.

An important feature of the invention consists in providing the container with opposite resilient walls which are pressed together by their inherent resiliency when the container is empty, and which are so formed that one of them is continuously expanded when moved. from its normal form to the form which it has when the container is filled, while the other wall is continuously contracted when moved from its normal form to the form which it has when the con- I tainer is filled. As the result of so constructing the container the tendency of each of the walls to resume its normal size adds to and increases the tendency of each wall to reassume its normal form. Consequently, a. body of fluid forced into the'conta'iner bew tween its walls is maintained under a strong pr essure by the inherent resiliency of the walls which tends to cause each of them to reassume its normal size and form, and pressure is maintained throughout the discharge of the fluid from the container.

, While the container is an important element in the new fire extinguisher, it may be used, also, for many other purposes.-

In order that the inventionmay clearly be understood, I will describe in detail the embodiments 'of it which .are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1,2 and 3 are diagrammatic views illustrating the construction of a form of extinguisher embodying the invention, Fig.-

1 being a plan view-,and Figs. 2 and 3 being sectional views taken on the plane'A'-B of Fig. 1, and -.illustrating, respectively, the making and the filling of the container;

Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detailed views r of another embodiment of the invention,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 being, respectively, sectional views taken upon the plane D-E of Fig, 7 and illustrating, respectively, successive stages in the making of the extingulsher, and Fig. 7 being a top view and Fig. 8 a side view of the completed extinguisher, and Fig.9 a fragmentary sectional view upon a larger scale showing the construction of the valve; and

Figs. 10 and 11 showan extin uisher embodying the invention arranger for automat1c operation, Fig. 10 being a side'view of the extinguisher, and Fig. 11 a fragmentary sectional view upon a larger scale, showing the construction of the valve.

The container is formed from two plates 1( 20, one of which, 10, is shown in the plan view, Fig. 1. The other plate 20 is similar to the plate 10 in'configuration, and differs from it only in normal curvature as herein-. afterexplained. The material of which the plates are made is flexible so that it may be bent, and resilient so that when bent it tends to return to its normal form. Each plate is also extensible and contractable along lines radiating from its central portion. The directions in which the lates are extensible and contractable are in icated by the dotted 'linesC in Fig. 1. The .plates maybe constructed of material which is extensible, contractable and' elastic, as well as flexible and resilient, or they may be made of flexible and resilient sheet material which is substantially inextensible and uncontractable. In the latter case, each plate is made extensible and contractable along the lines C by forming corrugations in it. It should be understood that in referring to the form of the plates or the surface in which the plates lie," reference is made to the median surface of the corrugations, in case the plates are. corrugated.

The normal form of the plates is indicated by the dotted lines 10", 20", Fig. 2. It will be noted that the plate 10, hereinafter called the inner plate, is normall more deeply curved than the plate 20, w icli is referred to as the outer plate. The plate 10 may be given any desired normal curvature, while the plate 20, may be given any normal curvature less than that of the plate 10 including a curvature of infinite radius, that is to say, asubstantially flat form.

In making the container, the plates 10 and 20 are placed together with the convex surface of the plate 10 and the concave surface of the-plate 20 inward, that is, in the posithen released and the plates have the form illustrated in full l itnes 10 Figs. 2 and 3. In this position he portions of the plates within their peripheries are constantly pressed together by the resiliency of the plates which gives each of them a tendency to resume'its normal form indicated in dotted lines 10, 20, Fig. 2. The twoplates will in consequence contact with each other in a surface which is less curved than the normal form 10 of the inner plate and more curved than the normal form 2O of the outer plate. It should be noted that in mak-,

ing the inner plate 10 less deeply curved than its normal form, the plate has been forced to contract so that it is smaller than in its normal form and in the same way in making the outer plate 20 more curved than in it s' normal form this plate has been forced to expand so as to be larger than when in its norinal'form. The tendency of each plate to reassume its normal size thus assists the tendency of each plate to reassume its normal form, so thatthe plates are pressed to gether forcibly by their inherent resiliency.

To fill the container a liquid is forced un-.

der pressure between the plates 10 and 20.

The liquid spreads the plates apart and .thereby forces the inner plate 10, whose normal curvature was reduced in. the operation of making the container, into a form still less curved as indicated by the dotted line 10 in- Fig. 3, so that the plate 10 is forced to contract still further; while atthe'same time the liquid forces the plate 20, which was given a more deeply curved form than its normal formin making the container, into a still more deeply curved form as indicated by the dotted lines 20 in Fig. "'3,

causing further expansion of this plate. As

the liquid is forced in, the inner plate 10 will continue to contract, while the outer,

plate 20 continues to expand, until the inner plate 10 assumes'a flat position indicated by the dotted line 10 in Fig. 3. In order to insure the most eflicientaction of the container the supply of liquid to the container should be cut off before the inner plate 10 is moved beyond the position 10 and curved in the reverse direction from its normal curvature. If the liquid is cut off at or be-' fore this point, then when the liquid is dis-- charged from the container the tendency of macaw? each plate to reassume its normal size assists the tendency of each plate to reassume its normal form, and the additive effect of these two tendencies maintains the liquid in the container under heavy pressure throughout the emptying of the container.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 to 9 is one specific example of the general form which has been described ineconnection with Figs. 1 to 3.

In the form shown in Figs. 4: to 9, the two plates 10, 20', from which the container is made, consist of flexible and resilient sheet tact with each other in the manner herein-- after described. The outermost of the corrugations 11 of the plate 10' is spacedinwardly from the edge of the plate so as *to leave an uncorrugat-ed peripheral flange 12. The plate 20' has a similar-peripheral flange 22.

The normal form of the two plates is illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be noted that in.

this embodiment the normally more deeply curved inner plate 10 is normally substantially spherically curved, while the normally less deeply curved outer plate 20 has a normal curvature of infinite-radius, that is to say, it is normally flat. After theplates have been given the form illustrated in Fig. f, they are tempered so that they each have a high degree of resiliency which tends to make each of them reassume its normal form. The re-siliencyof the corrugated portions of the plates, tends also to cause'each plate to reassume its normal size It is unnecessary to make the portions of the plates forming'theperipheral flanges 11 and 21 resilient and the tempering is most desirably effected in such manner as to leave these flanges comparatively soft.

Before the plates are secured together, and, if desired, before the tempering is effected, a valve 30 is inserted in one of the plates. Y 1

While it should be understood that the invention is by no means limited to the use of any particular type of valve or to the insert-ion of the valve in any particular part of either plate, the valve illustrated in the drawing and the method of inserting this valve will be described for the purpose of illustration. As best seen in Fig. 9, the valve 30 has an outer or body portion 31 which is provided with a central bore. the

inner portion of which forms a conical valve seat 32, while the outer portion 33 is threaded. The inner member 34 of the valve in-' stem 35 is most desirably providedwitlran -'.,external screw thread 39. this thread being formed in the opposite direction from the thread at the inner end of the valve stem.

' A handle 40 is applied to. the valve stem between its two threaded portions.

In order to provide for the insertion of 'valve of, the type illustrated. one of the plates, for example, the plate 10'. is provided at its center with a hole 13, and the portion of the plate surrounding the hole 13 is pressed-outwardlyfto' form a boss 14 as illustrated in Fig. 4. The hole 13 and-the boss 14 may conveniently be formed at the time that the plate 10 is givenits normal form. After the valve 30. with the exception of the handle 40,- which is applied later, hasbeen assembled, by screwing the inner portion 34'into the valve body from the bottom,

the valve is-inserted in the hole 13. The inner portion of the valve body 31 substantially fills the space provided inside the boss 14 and fits closely against the'inner surface of the boss.- The valve body is then secured to. the boss by brazing, or in other known 40v manner.

After the valve has beensecured in po-: SltlOl'l, the plates 10', 20, are placed together with the convex side ofthe normally more deeply curved plate 10' inward. As the plate 20' is in this instance flat, eitherside of it may be regarded as its concave side and turned inward. It should, however, be

turned in such manner that its corrugations 21 will fit with the corrugations 11 of the )late 10' when the two are forced together:

he relatlve position in which ,the plates should be placed "is illustrated in Fig. 4. The plates are then forced together by a press applying suflicient pressure to overcome the inherentresiliency of the plates. This pressing is done while the plates are cold. While the plates are held together by the pressure applied by the press, the pe-- ripheral flanges 11, 21 are secured together. This may be accomplished by turning the flanges over and crimping them together, so that they are given the form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Or, if desired, the flan es may be secured together by electric we d ing, or in other known manner. After the flan es have been secured together, the force of t 1e press is released, and the container has the form shown in Fig. 5.

It should be noted that when in this condition portions of the plates within their peripheries are constantly pressed together by the resiliency of the plates which gives each of them a tendency to reassume its original form and its griginal size. As the resiliency of the two plates is substantially equal the resultant efi'ect is to retain the plates in contact with each other in a curved surface about halfway between the original or normal forms of the two plates.

The container thus constructed is in condition to be filled. Before this is done, however, the handle 40 should be applied to the valve stem 35. The filling is effected by com meeting the valve stem 35 with a supply of liquid under pressure and opening the valve 30 by screwing the valve stem inwardly in the valve body 31. The liquid may be supplied through a pipe having an internal thread on its outer end andthe thread 39 .of the valve stem may be screwed into this liquid is 'shut off and the valve stem 35 is screwed outwardly closing the valve and disconnecting the valve" stem from the liquid supply pipe. n I i Inorder to secure the most eflicient operation ofthe. container the supply of liquid should be out off when the container has been swelled to the form illustrated in Figs. 6 and; 8. \Vhen the container is filled to this 'extent the normally curved plate 10' has been forced into a substantially flat posit-ion while the normally flatplate 20' has been forced into a curved position. It should be noted thatthroughout the bending of the plate 10 from its normal position shown in Fig. 4 to its filled. position shown in Fig. 6,

includingboth the bending whichis necessary to bring the peripheries of the plates together in forming the container and the bending whi h occurs in filling the container, the plate 1 iscontinuously contracted so that its corrugations 11 become continuously narrower during the. bending. The tendency of the corrugations 11 to expand and reassume their normal size, therefore, aidsthe tendency of the plate 10 to reassume its normal form illustrated in Fig. 4. In the same ,Way throughout the bending of the plate 20', including both the stages of making the container and filling the container, the plate 20' is continuously stretched causing its cor- .encies results in maintaining the liquid in the container under a high pressure, and pressure is continued throughout the discharge of the liquid \vhen'the valve 30 is opened.

To use the extinguisher which has been described it is merely necessary toturn the handle 40 so as to open the valve 30, and di- 2 rect the nozzle 38 towards the fire. The extingnisher is dependable and remains ready for use over long periods.

If desired, the extinguisher may be made to operate automatically. An arrangement for this purpose which in itself constitutes a part of my invention is illustrated in Figs. and 11. The extinguisher illustrated in these figures is similar to that shown in Figs. 4 to 9.. It is secured with its plate 10" against a ceiling by means of hooks 41. The valve is in general similar to the valve 30 shown in Fig. 9. The valve stem of the valve 30', however. differs somewhat fronrthe valve stem 35 of the valve 30. The

bore of the valve stem 35' is of uniform crosssect-ion; The outer surface of the valve stem 35 is continuously threaded and contains two flattened portions 40" formed for the engagement of a detachable handle which may have the form of-an ordinary spanner. The filling of the extinguisher shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is effected in the same manner as the filling of the extinguisher shown in Figs. 4 to 9 except that the pipe through which the liquid under pressure is supplied is, in this instance, provided with a rotatable coupling member. After the extinguisher has been filled, the valve 30 is closed by screwing the valve stem 35'. outwardly in the body 31' by-means of a spanner applied to the flattenedport-ion 40". then applied to'the valve stem. The cap 42 contains a bore, the inner portion 43 of which is threaded while the outer portion of the bore forms a nozzle 44. Between the nozzle 44 and the threaded portionv 43 is an inwardly tapering, portion 45 in which is a plug 46 ot fusible metal. The cap 42 is ap-' plied to the valve stem 35' after the valve stem has been screwed outwardly to close A. cap 42 is against the end of the valve stem. The spanner is then removed from the flattened por tion 40' and the valve stem 35' is screwed inwardly in the body 31 by means of a wrench applied to the cap 42. The turning is continued until the packing ring 47 is clamped between the inner end of the cap 42 and the outer end of the body 31- of the' valve, leaving the parts in the position shown in Fig. 11. The liquid under pressure in the container is thus brought directly against the fusible plug 46. Consequently, when theten'iperature of the room in which the extinguisher is placed rises sufficiently to melt the plug 46 the liquid is forcibly projected downward through the nozzle 44. A few of the extinguishers of the type shown-in Figs.

10 and 11 secured to the ceiling of a room vantages of the invention are secured in embodying it in fire extinguishers such as have been described, it should be understood that" a container constructed in accordance with the invention is susceptible of many other tial that peripheries of the two plates be a circular although it is advantageous to have the periphery of each plate form a c'ontinuous unbroken curve. Furthermore, it is not essential that one of the plates be normally fiat orthat one of the places'be forced into a substantially fiat form when the container is filled. I shall not..however, endeavor to set out all the modificationswhich may be made in the embodiments described without departing from myinvention.

I claim'as my invention:

1. Afire extinguisher, comprising a closed container having opposite walls 'ofstifi resilient material, each of said wallsbeing extensible and contractable and" one of said walls having a normal inward curvature, and

'a body of fire extinguishing liquid in-said container serving to hold said inwardly curved wall ina form less curved than its normal form and to hold the opposite wall in a form more curved than its normal form and retained under pressure by the resiliency of said walls.

2. An article of manufacture, comprising the combination of a container consisting of two plates of stiff resilient material secured together about their peripheries, both of said plates being contractable and extensible normally being normally curved and having itsnor-.

and one of said plates bein normall more deeply curved than the ot er and avin its normally convex surface inward, an

a body of fluid in said container serving to' hold said plate in a form less curved than its normal form and to hold the other plate in a form more curved than its normal form.

3. An article'of manufacture, comprising the combination of a container consisting of two plates of resilient stifi' sheet material,

both of said plates being extensible and con tractable along lines radiating from their central portions and one of said plates beingnormally more deeply curved than the other and having its normally convex side inward, and a body of fluid in said container serving to hold said plate in substantially flat form and serving to hold the other plate in a form more curved than its normal 'form.

4. An'article of manufacture, comprisin the combination of a container consisting 0% two plates secured together about their e- -ripheries, each of said plates beingextensi le and contractable along lines radiating from its central portion, one of said plates being normally fiat and the other of said plates being normally curved and having its nor-v mally convex side inward, and a body of fluid in said container serving to hold said normally flat plate in outwardly curved form and to hold said normally curved plate in a form less curved than its normal form.

comprising 5. An article of manufacture, the combination of a containerconsisting of two plates secured together about their peripheries, each of said plates being extensible and contractable along lines radiating from its central flportion, one of said plates being at and the other of said plates mally convex side inward, and a body of fluid in said container serving to hold said normally flat plate in outwardly curved form and to hold said normally curved plate in substantially'flat form.-

6.A container formed from two vplates of resilient stiff sheet so as to be extensible and contractable along lines radiating from their central portions,

said plates being secured together about material corrugated their peripheries and being so formed that one of them is continuously contracted when moved from its normal osition to the position which it occupies w en the container is filled, while the other is continuously extended when moved from its normal position to the position which it occupies when the container is filled.

.7; A container comprising two extensible and. contractable plates of resilient sheet material secured together about their peripheries and contacting with each other in.

a curved surface when the container ,is empty, the inner plate having a normal curvature greater than that of said surface of contact, and the outer plate having a normal form less curved than said surface of 'of infinite radius so that it is normally flat.

10. A container formed of two concentrically corrugated spring metal plates, one of which is normally more deeply curved than the other, said plates being secured together' about their peripheries with the convex side of the normally more deeply curved plate and the concave side of the normally less deeply curved plateinward.

11. A container formed of two concentrically corrugated spring metal plates, one

of which is normally curved and the other of which is normally substantially flat, said. plates being secured together about their pe-' ripheries with the convex side; of the normally curved plate inward.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. l

ROBERT w. BrERLY. 

